How to prepare the rice field for planting

Land preparation is important to ensure that the rice field is ready for planting. A well-prepared field controls weeds, recycles plant nutrients, and provides a soft soil mass for transplanting and a suitable soil surface for direct seeding.

Land preparation covers a wide range of practices from zero-tillage or minimum tillage which minimizes soil disturbance through to a totally 'puddled' soil which actually destroys soil structure.

It typically involves (1) plowing to "till" or dig-up, mix, and overturn the soil; (2) harrowing to break the soil clods into smaller mass and incorporate plant residue, and (3) leveling the field.

Initial land preparation begins after your last harvest or during fallow period. This is important for effective weed control and for enriching the soil. Generally, it will take 3−4 weeks to prepare the field before planting.

Create compost from rice residues

If possible, build compost heaps in layers consisting of rice crop material, combined with legume or manure wastes, on a 2:1 ratio.

Keep compost heaps moist—not to wet and not too dry. Make sure that no water drains from the compost pile. If rice straw cracks when bent, then the compost must be too dry.

Sprinkle compost heap with decaying material (e.g., cow urine), a dilute solution of N fertilizer such as urea, and/or with a micro-organism solution (e.g., tricho). This will decompose the materials faster.

Mix and turn the heaps every two weeks.

Compost should be ready within 4−8 weeks if moisture and temperature conditions are good.

Different rice ecosystems have different land preparation requirements. Lowland rice fields, for example, are usually puddled to develop a hard pan and reduce water loss. Upland ricefields, on the other hand, do not necessarily have to be puddled. In resource-limiting environments, dry preparation can be adapted.